Container with carrying handle



Dec. 22, 1953 R. H. JOHNSON 2,663,485

CONTAINR WITH CARRYING HANDLE Filed May 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1willi/lill, Il 11111111111 l lf2/yada? m' .5 Ma//y- @rw/0724 I 13:/ Ogg?Dec. 22, 1953 R. H. JOHNSON CONTAINER WITH CARRYING HANDLE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1951 Patented Dec. 22, 1953 Richard-,IL-1011.115941. Arlington.. Heights Illf Qontainor Coro tiouof A.

Signos to.

invention relates to,` a, container tormed off a singlesheet of ipaperboard'fl out` and scored =Q provide av durable container havinganhiriteg al handle so that it. may be used asy aoarryne Caso.

after it has. passed-into t'lie-.liandsV oft the-.ultimate consumen Itis.V an object of.v the invention to. provide a containerthat may beleasily opened and; re,- closed', having positive interlocking inea-nsthat Will: protectthe contents against accidentalI open ing of thelcontainer whenitis beingicarniedby'its handle. It is aiurther; object toprov-idea calftying container thatV may be used.A indeinitelfst-lAdditional objects and: advantages' of the in; vention will becomeapparent upon reading thev following description, taken inconjunction-With the aocomp@maine drawings Sllfwvilisa; loroorlodillustrative.- embodiment; off the inv,eli-tion,I Which-.2l

Fig, 1- isv a` perspective viewl of-acontainer ernbodying the inventionas suchcontainer appears in closed. pos ition;

Fig. 21s acrosssootionaloiewakonf along the line 2,-2; of Fig. l; f Y

Fig. 3 is` anA enlargedA fragmentary cross sec-7,. tional View throughthe front panel showingglthe container in partially openposi-tion;

Fig; fi, is. an. enlarged fragmentary clossrsecf. tional view through.`the iront panel with. the.y closure flap in closed position;

Fig. 5I is a plan View of, .the blanlefgroxn which the container isvformed;

Figi. Sis. a perspective vievvoi thecQntainer-in open position;

Fig. .7 is a longitudinal sectional nieve, taken, along the line 1 1 oiFig.. 6;4

Fig. 8 is. a cross sectional View, taken along. the line 8.--8 of Fig.'7 ;l

Fig. 9 is a. perspective view.- oi the blank'in-pai.` tially foldedcondition; and

Fig.. 1 0. is a cross sectional. detail view showing the method.` offorming the eariyingj.handle.,l

.Referring to,.Fig..5 of tliedrawings, the'blanlgcomprises a singlesheetoi. paperbbard,` prefer. ably corrugatedbeardor solid breboard, ont andscored to provide a 'frontwallpanel 2botto'm wall panel 3, back wallpanel t, outer topvvall panel 5,. inner top wallpaneland-.nto-l'modiatetop Wall panel l. The front panel 2 isseparateliironi bottom panel Sby a score linea. Asimilar score line 9separates panels 3, and` d, and anotl'ier line Ul. separates panels @and5. Banelsf v5 are separated by apar of closely space dscore lines H andl2A sothat the panels. are. separato@ slightlyto form a tot. Woll.otmoltlplotlolsnos Yorsofoutl'nes Il. ondrloxtorld: ing-.throughadlaoon' noot panels endl dollnothe edges of.- o 1.1...1ol1o-- t9.'foflooofby.- sopor-l imoosios. ilona lat-olle., tf-ormodf from panels.6. and l,A respecti` ely. Panelsf? and l; are sepa,- ra-.ted -by-C1132.l lines. 2Q. and.V 2,1.. .positioned on opposito Sides: oi holoand.. extending.. rosrioo: tivi ygfromfcutlines. 1 d lli?L to. opposite;edges oilone al Soolzo una 2'2.:ood.opo1ii11gs 2.3. ono 2t Cut in naps.I 951-.. and Iplll, respectively, provide hond holds. for? tho.-l.1..or;1l.laWllon-v thev 'container is. set up,

A longitudinal Slot 2.5; iS Positioned Substantialllyltgeiavl/elhy111.1% lold I. and. l2l to vprovide ai passageway` for .theclosnre flapI3. In the. Center. portion ofthat edge. of panel 5f which definos. tho.tear-bounded fil-tao Slot 2li o notch er cut.ont..2li.wnicn providesfinger. space forv the application of pressure on the flap i3` when itmay bo desired to open tho. oontaioor- Tho panel a is provided with alongitudinal slot 2l. disposed: centrally.` thereot tor the projectionof a. handle. l.v Thecenter portion of that edge of panel 5, .whichdefines. the@ iorward. boundaryr of the slot Zlis provided .with a notchor cut out 23 whiel'i is directed toward the. slot 25 thereby toprovide. space. for the reception oflocking tab l5. Whenthe container-isset-.up andthe closure flee @has boon pushed into-'position between theouter panel: l.. and tho .oor-112011.11@ inner panel, -.l through theslot 2x5, thereby to. Close Jtlfieffront panel 2 the. locking-tab t5will be aligned with the. notch 2:8 and, reaspnof vtlfiescore tension onthe lookiils. tab. of.. the illustrated formv of the, invention, the tabl5 may" snapV lip orl rise to engage: theedlgeo 5 in thenotch28,'t1iere-y by.to.'provideY a` positive. lockV to1 prevent the:openingof thefrontpanelg unless the tab 115. is again depressed to clearthe, edge. rpg-the outer panel 5.

Iljhe nirst. step` in setting upthe centaines vfrom the. blank form'ooooorlod with the handle s9- Tljle panel 'l isY slid inwardly. tosup'erlirnp018e it on panel li, .the handle, ilapsjlo-and ieb'foldingsimultaneously along score, lirios v29g and 3v., 17o-` Soootivoly. and.oloostllo oom .on score. lino. t Panel. l ish-old a5? ns1?. llollolf..od panel 6. is. then tolded alongsoonL es Hand, l2 to. .insert the@estilos tonL edge-ottagonale, which is defined by the fold line 22,through the slot 21 to position the handle on the outside of the toppanel with the hand hold defined by the openings 23 and 24 adjacent thesurface of panel 5. The panels 6 and 1, from which the handle I9extends, are disposed underneath the top panel 5.

The top panel 5 has outer` end panels 3| and 32 hinged thereto alongopposite ends, as indicated at 33 and 34, respectively.' Panel 3l has aflap 35 hinged thereto along the score line 36, and panel 32 has a iiap31 hinged to it along score line 38. Flaps 35 and 31 fold against backpanel 4 when the container is set up. An inner end nap V39 is hinged tothe opposite side of panel 3| by a pair of parallel score lines 40 and4I, and an inner end flap 42 is similarly hinged to panel 32 by a pairof parallel score lines 43 and 44. In the set up container these innerend iiaps 39 and 42 are folded against intermediate end ilaps 45 and 45,respectively. Flap 45 is hinged to one end of the bottom panel 3 alongthe score line 41, and the flap 46 is hinged to the opposite end of thebottom panel along score line 43.

In the set up container the intermediate end naps 45 and 46 are foldedagainst the inner surface of the outer end panels 3I and 32, and theinner end flaps 33 and 42 are then folded against the intermediate endflaps 45 and 45 to interlock the top, bottom, back, and end walls withthe container in set up condition and the front wall 2 open. Thisinterlocking of the container walls with the front wall open isadvantageous in connection with the use of the container by the ultimateconsumer after the container has fulfilled its original purpose. Thecontainer is ordinarily left in set up condition, with the front wallclosed, and the ultimate consumer of the original package merely opensthe front wall 2, which is hinged to bottom Wall 3 along the score line3, to gain access to the contents. To use the container as a carryingcase it is necessary only to close the front wall. For example, if apair of skates is originally packed in the container, the purchaser ofthe skates may keep them in the container to carry them to the skatingrink and then remove them by opening the front wall. In order to carrythe skates back home, it is not necessary to set up the entirecontainer, but only to close the front wall 2. Similarly, if food, suchas a ham, is packed in the container, it may be carried to a picnic, andthe container then used as a hamper to bring Vhome the left over food.

The front panel 2 is provided with a pair of end naps 43 and 53, hingedalong score lines 5I and 52, respectively. The flaps 49 and 55 arefolded inside inner end flaps 39 and 42, respectively, and the closureflap I3, with locking tab I5 reversely folded, as shown in Fig. 6, isthen inserted through slot 25. When the free end of tab i5 passes theedge of panel 5 defining the notch 23 its score tension causes the tabto spring outwardly or upwardly to engage with or toextend intoproximity to that edge of panel 5 which defines the notch 28 thereby toprovide an intertering relationship. The engagement of the free end ofthe tab with the adjacent edge of panel 5 in the notch 28 will preventaccidental displacement of the closure flap I3 and panel 2 in theopposite or outward direction. In order to open the container, ngerpressure is applied rst to the tab I'5 to depress the same below theinterfering edge of panel 5 within the notch 28 and while the tab isheld in such depressed position, iinger pressure through the notch 26may be utilized to move the closure ap I3 outwardly 4 through the slot25 thereby to open the container to the position of the partsillustrated in Fig. 6.

When the packed container is carried by the handle, the weight of thecontents against the bottom of the container tends to pull the panels 6and 1, from which the handle extends, closer to the top panel 5, therebydiminishing the thickness of the open slot 21 and pinching the flap I3between the panels 5 and 6. Accordingly, there is no tendency for thefront wall 2 to open accidentally when the container is being carried bythe handle, regardless of the weight of the contents, because thesqueezing action between panels 5 and 6 does not leave suiicient spacefor the closure iiap I3 freely to slide therebetween even if the tab I5should be released. When the container is provided with a locking tab i5additional security against the accidental opening of the front wall 2is provided because the locking tab cannot pass through the openingformed by the slot 21 and the notch 25 unless it is pressed below theplane of top panel 5. In addition, the panel 6 must be spaced from panel5 a distance suicient to allow closure nap I3 and locking tab I5simultaneously to pass therebetween.

While the foregoing description sets forth a preferred embodiment of theinvention in considerable detail, many changes may be made in theconstruction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and itis therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to theappended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate thescope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A container having a top wall comprising spaced upper and lowerpanels hingedly connected together along a hinge line joining one edgeof each, there being a slot along said hinge line between said upper andlower panels, there being a second slot in said upper panel, a handlecarried by said lower panel and projecting through the second slot, afront wall having a tuck nap l slidablethrough the first mentioned slot,and a locking tab integral with the tuck flap, the looking tab beingmovable into register with the second slot and engageable with theforward edge of the latter to lock the front wall in closed position.

2. A container having a top wall comprising a pair of spaced panelshingedly connected together, one of the panels being disposed outward ofthe other, the panels together presenting an open slot along theircommon hinge line, there being a second slot in the outer panel, therebeing a notch in the forward edge of the outer panel, said notch openinginto the second slot, a handle projecting through the second slot, airont wall having a tuck iiap integral therewith, said tuck flap beingslidable through the rst mentioned slot, and a locking tab hingedlyconnected to the tuck ap, said tab being bendable out of the plane ofthe tuck iiap so as to intersect the plane of the outer top wall panelthrough said notch when said front wall is closed to lock the latter inclosed position.

3. A container having a top Wall comprising an outer panel, an innerpanel spaced from the outer panel and an intermediate panel adjacent tothe inner panel, a pair of end walls, a back wall, a bottom wall, and afront wall hinged at one edge to the bottom wall, the top, end, back andbottom walls being interlocked to hold the container in set-upcondition, there being a slot adjacent to the front edge of the topwall, there being a second slot in the outer panel, a handle integralwith the intermediate and inner panels projecting through the secondslot, a tuck flap integral with the front wall and insertable throughthe rst slot to close the front wall, and a locking tab extending fromthe tuck flap and engageable with the edge of the top panel adjacent tothe second slot when the front wall is closed to prevent accidentalopening of the front wall.

4. A container having a top wall comprising an outer panel, an innerpanel spaced from the outer panel and an intermediate panel adjacent tothe inner panel, a pair of end walls, a back wall, a bottom wall, and afront wall hinged at one edge to the bottom wall, the top, end, back andbottom walls being interlocked to hold the container in set-upcondition, there being a slot adjacent to the front edge of the topwall, there being a second slot in the outer panel, a notch extendingforwardly from the forward edge of the second slot, a handle comprisinga pair of naps projecting through the second slot in face-to-facecontact, one of the flaps being integral with the intermediate panel andthe other flap being integral with the inner panel, whereby the weightof contents in the container exerting force against the bottom wall whenthe container is carried by the handle urges the intermediate and innerpanels against the outer panel, a tuck iiap hinged to the front wall andinsertable through the first slot into the space between the outer andinner panels of the top Wall, and a locking tab integral with the tuckap, the free end of the locking tab being engageable with the outerpanel in the notch to prevent accidental opening of the front wall.

5. A blank for a container comprising a sheet of paperboard cut andscored to provide three top wall panels, a bottom wall panel, a frontwall panel, a back wall panel, and a pair of end wall panels, therebeing a slot along a portion of the line of fold between the outer topwall panel and the inner top wall panel, there being another slot in theouter top wall panel, a pair of iiaps in the intermediate and inner topwall flaps adapted to be moved into face-to-face contact to form ahandle insertable through the second 6 mentioned slot, a tuck apintegral with the front wall panel insertable through the rst mentionedslot, and a locking tab integral with the tuck iiap and capable ofprojection through said second mentioned slot into the plane of theouter top wall panel.

6. A container having a top wall comprising an outer panel, an innerpanel spaced from the outer panel and an intermediate panel adjacent tothe inner panel, a pair of end walls, a back wall, a bottom Wall, and afront wall hinged at one edge to the bottom wall, the top, end, back andbottom walls being interlocked to hold the container in set-upcondition, there being a slot extending along a mid-portion of the frontedge of the top wall, there being a second slot in the outer panel, ahandle comprising a pair of aps projecting through the second slot inface-toface contact, one of the naps being integral with theintermediate panel and the other flap being integral with the innerpanel, whereby the weight of contents in the container exerting forceagainst the bottom wall when the container is carried by the handleurges the intermediate and inner panels against the outer panel, a tuckap hinged to the front cover and removably insertable through the firstsaid slot into the space between the outer and inner panels of the topwall, and a locking tab integral with the tuck ap and disposed inregister with a portion of the iirst said slot when the tuck iiap isdisposed between the outer and inner top wall panels, the free end ofthe locking tab being engageable with the said slot portion to preventaccidental opening of the front wall. e

RICHARD H. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,044,301 Hill June 16, 1936 2,157,062 :Stopper May 2, 19392,168,387 Bellin Aug. 8, 1939 2,387,482 Vineberg Oct. 23, 1945 2,460,870Bruckhauser Feb. 8, 1949 2,465,324 De Mian Mar. 22, 1949

